Jordan walked their way to the West side of town, heading toward the docks. One of the other artists at the shop they work at messed let them test a set of runes they devised on her tattoo gun, but it didn’t work as expected. The gun shattered, and she made Jordan bring the pieces of the machine to a repair shop. Luckily, they remembered a friend talking about a good one near the shore. The further West they got, the stronger the seawater scent grew. Jordan stopped for a moment to take a deep breath. Even better than San Francisco. They recalled the shop was expecting them back soon, and started walking again.
It only took Jordan 10 minutes to find the shop once he got to the docks. Their friend had done a good job at describing it, even without remembering the name “Akio’s Repair Shop.” It’s not that hard of a name...Seeing the “Open” sign, Jordan went to enter, but the shouting coming from inside stopped them. Looking through the window, they saw an older man with his back to the window yelling at a teenage store clerk. Jordan couldn’t make out what he was saying, just that he was very pissed off. Maybe I should help the kid. They wait a few more seconds, then open the door to the shop.
The shouting stops immediately, as if the man knew exactly when Jordan would come in. He turns to the door, and Jordan can see more of his face. He was Japanese and looked to be in his 30s. He puts on a smile and walks toward the middle of the store. “Welcome to Akio’s Repair Shop”! I’m sorry for the inconvenience, but we’re closed for today.”
“You might want to change that sign out front, then.”
The man looks a little flustered, but continues his routine. “Yes, well, we’re closing due to some...circumstances I was just now made aware of.”
I didn’t walk all this way for nothing. “What kind of circumstances?”
The man sighs, but keeps going. “It appears while I was away, my shop was ransacked by goblins. They stole my book of runes that I use for more complex repairs.”
Jordan looked down at the bag they were holding, filled with pieces of tattoo machine. I guess this qualifies as complex. “Well, that's a shame. Anywhere else in this area I can get this fixed?”
Jordan holds the bag up, and the clanging of machines bits bumping into each other inside piques the man's interest. “Tell me, what do you have in there?”
“A broken tattoo machine.”
“May I see it?”
Jordan walks over the counter and places the bag down, stepping back so the man can glimpse inside. “My, my, now that's some damage. Tell me, how'd this happen?”
Jordan shuffles uncomfortably. “I was testing out a rune matrix I devised and it...didn't work right.”
The man laughs to himself. “Well that sounds like an understatement.” He takes his head out of the bag and turns to Jordan. “Tell you what, you help me get my book back and I'll fix your machine for free. Deal?” He holds out his hand, and Jordan remembers the money his coworker gave him to cover the repairs.
It only took Jordan 10 minutes to find the shop once he got to the docks. Their friend had done a good job at describing it, even without remembering the name “Akio’s Repair Shop.” It’s not that hard of a name...Seeing the “Open” sign, Jordan went to enter, but the shouting coming from inside stopped them. Looking through the window, they saw an older man with his back to the window yelling at a teenage store clerk. Jordan couldn’t make out what he was saying, just that he was very pissed off. Maybe I should help the kid. They wait a few more seconds, then open the door to the shop.
The shouting stops immediately, as if the man knew exactly when Jordan would come in. He turns to the door, and Jordan can see more of his face. He was Japanese and looked to be in his 30s. He puts on a smile and walks toward the middle of the store. “Welcome to Akio’s Repair Shop”! I’m sorry for the inconvenience, but we’re closed for today.”
“You might want to change that sign out front, then.”
The man looks a little flustered, but continues his routine. “Yes, well, we’re closing due to some...circumstances I was just now made aware of.”
I didn’t walk all this way for nothing. “What kind of circumstances?”
The man sighs, but keeps going. “It appears while I was away, my shop was ransacked by goblins. They stole my book of runes that I use for more complex repairs.”
Jordan looked down at the bag they were holding, filled with pieces of tattoo machine. I guess this qualifies as complex. “Well, that's a shame. Anywhere else in this area I can get this fixed?”
Jordan holds the bag up, and the clanging of machines bits bumping into each other inside piques the man's interest. “Tell me, what do you have in there?”
“A broken tattoo machine.”
“May I see it?”
Jordan walks over the counter and places the bag down, stepping back so the man can glimpse inside. “My, my, now that's some damage. Tell me, how'd this happen?”
Jordan shuffles uncomfortably. “I was testing out a rune matrix I devised and it...didn't work right.”
The man laughs to himself. “Well that sounds like an understatement.” He takes his head out of the bag and turns to Jordan. “Tell you what, you help me get my book back and I'll fix your machine for free. Deal?” He holds out his hand, and Jordan remembers the money his coworker gave him to cover the repairs.
“Deal.”